Sept 04, Colombo: Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party says it is taking steps to remove four members of the party who have decided to vote in favor of the government's constitutional amendments in the parliament next week as more members have expressed support for the government.

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake has been quoted in the local media saying that it was decided at last Wednesday's (01) Working Committee meeting to remove any UNP member who voted with the government.

Four UNP legislators, Abdul Cader, Lakshman Seneviratne, Earl Gunasekara, and Manusha Nanayakkara have expressed their support for the 18th amendment to the Constitution that is to be debated in the parliament next week.

While the UNP is to initiate disciplinary action against the four MPs to remove them from the party in the next few days, another UNP MP has come forward to support the constitutional reforms.

UNP Puttalam District parliamentarian Palitha Range Bandara has told the local media that he would vote according to his conscience when the vote is taken up in parliament on September 8.

Range Bandara has said he would vote according to his conscience regardless of the party's stance, as he would only consider the future of the country when casting his vote.

The opposition ally Sri Lanka Muslim Congress last month decided to extend the party's support to the proposed constitutional amendments put forward by the government.